The Indianapolis journal., 1887-10-09
village of Texas whence the name of rexar by

by the United States in It's Independence, was
annexed to the Union. in 1S45, under the presi-
dency of John Tyler.
1t was about fifteen years before this annexa-
tion that two children were found abandoned in
village on the Texan coast. and We're taken
care OF and brought up by public charity.
Attention was first directed to the children on
cunt of their marvellous resemblance. They
had the same gestures the same voice. the
same attidues, the same physognomy. and it
may be added the same instincts testifving to a
precocious perversity. We know not how they
ceived. nor to what family they belonged, unless
1t was to one of those who roamed about the
country after the declaration of Independence.
AS soon as the brothers Texar thought they
could support themselves, they disappeared.
This was when they were about twelve years old.
They then took to hfs of thieving among the
fields and farms, stealing bread in one place.
fruit in another, ending at length in highway
robbery Then thsy ceased to bs seen in the
Texan villages in the company of lawbreakers.
who, even il those early days had put their
strange resemblance to account Years rolled
by. The Texar brothers soon forgotten
even by name. And although the name bscame
notorious enough in Florida, nothing happened
to show that they had passed their early years
In the coast districts OF Texas
But how was it that after their disappearance
no one knew that there were two Texarss 1t
was on this ignorance that their plans had been
built AS was ascartained later when the
duality discovered and proved. the brothers
for twenty or thirty years lived apart. Fortune
they sought in all ways; but they did not meet
again except at rare intervals away from obser
search after fortune lead them.
One OF them-which it was not known, though
it was probably both-engaged IN the slave trade.
They brought cargoes of slaves from the coasts
of Africa to the Southern States of the Union.
acting as il Intermediates between the merchants
on the coast and the captains OF the ships en-
ploved in the inhuman traffic
Did their trade prospect We do not know.
But probably not; for it diminished rapidly, and
finally put stop to when the slave trade
was denounced rs barbarlsm, and gradually
abolished by the world.
The brothers had not made their fortune. and
they resolved to do at any price. 1t was then
they resolved to avail themselves OF their extra
ordinary mblance.
1t often happens that such resemblance dies
away as children grow to manhood But
this not the case with the Texars. The
older they got the more their physical and
moral resemblance. increased. 1t lmpos-
sible to distinguish one from the other either by
his face, or his figure, or his gestures or voice.
And resolving take advantage of this natural
popularity, they entered upon a hateful career
or o; crime, intending If one was caught to estab-
lish alibi by means of the other When
went off to commit some act tha: would bring
him within reach of the law, the other would
show himself in public. that all eliminating
allowed themselves 20 be taken in the act, for
then no alibi could have been pleaded.
Having drawn rp their programme the twins
came to Florida, where neither Of them was
known, the attraction being the numerous op-
portunities offered in State whore the Indians
still carried on a struggle against the Americans
and the Spaniards.
II was about 1850 or 1851 that Tsxar appeared
in tine Floridan peninsula-Texar, not the Tex
ars, be it understood, for it their intention
never to be together, never to be the
same day in the Same place.
Hiding themselves thus under a omplete in
cognito. they found a retreat that W as quite
mysterious This was in Black creek, which
they discovered in ne of their explorations of
the St. Johns There they brought a few
Squambo alone knew the mystery of their
double existence. The confdant was worthy of
his masters. whom he served with unsqualed de-
voton and discretion. and pitiiessly executed
their commands
Never, it need scarcely be said, did they ap-
pear together at Black creek. When they wished
other. We have, in fact seen their postoffice
A letter was slipped into the stalk of leaf, and
the leaf was fixed to the branch of tulip tree
in the eghboring marsh. This means never
failed them. Every day Squambo cautiously
visited the tree. If he was the bearer Of letter
from the Texar, then at Black creek he fixed it
to the branch of the tulip tree 1t the letter had
been written by the other brother, the Indian
found it in the usual place and took 1t back to
the block-house.
After their arrival in Florida the Texars
leagued themselves with all that was bad among
the population. Many of the criminal classes
became their accomplices in the numerous rob-
berries that then took place, and these became
their accomp plices later when the war brought
them to the front in political matters. But al
thought sometimes one and sometimes another
took the lead in these matters, their companions
never knew that there were two Texars. Thus
it that alibi was always forthcoming
when a Texar was brought to Answer for his
crimes Thus it was that although James Bur-
bank and Zernah had positively recognized the
Spaniard the author Of the fire, he had been
acquitted by the tribuDal at ST. Augustine. for
numerous witnesses that the time of
the crime he in Torillos tienda Mt Jackson
vile. And so it was regarding the attack on
Candles Bay. How could Texar be leading the
assault at Castle House. or carrying away Ter
mah and Dy when he was one OF the prisoners
made by the federals at Fernandina, and then
in safe keeping one OF tho gunboatsE
And even admitting that the duality of Texar
was known, how could they tell which OF them
was the culpritl Were there not in fact two
who were guity2 Should not the justly nlerited
punishment fall on both?
At Jacksonville it was probable that both
brothers had in turn played the same part after
himself on some agreed expedition, Texar No.
2 would take his place without the people being
aware of the change. They thus took equal
part in the excesses then committed against the
colonsts of Northern birth and the Southern
planters holding anti slavery opinions.
Both were aware of what passed in the CEN
trail States OF the Union, where, in Florida,
civil war underwent such unexpected changes
in fortune; both had acquired great influence
over the lower class of whites, and over the
Spaniarde, and even the American slave partl-
sans. Their correspondence was considerable,
and their meetings in out cf-the- way places
were many 70 enable them to conduct their
operations and prepare their future alibis.'
II was while one was in the hands OF the fed
erals that the other organized the expedition at
Candles bay. And we KNOW now they had
turned this to account at the court martial at
st. Augustine.
Age, as 1t has beea said. confirmed and in
creased the resemblance between the brothers;
but it was possible that an accident a wound
might alter that resemblance. For instance. in
a night attack some time after their arrival in
Florida one of the Texars had his beard burnt
by rife fred at him point blank. 1mms sdiately
the other shaved his beard SO as to be like his
brother a fact that was mentioned in the early
part of this history.
Another fact requires explanation. It will
not have been forgotten that night while
she was at Black Creek Zermnh saw the Span
iard's arm tattooed. The reason was that his
brother had been captureed by band of Semi
noles and had beer SO indsby marked on his
left arm. Immediately tracing OF the device
was sent TO the fortress and Squambo set to
work so that the identity continued absolute.
In fact if Texar No i had happened to lose